Tight bass-heavy funk from Slave – still working here in that excellent compressed style that was their unique contribution to soul music. There's probably a bit more of a vocal-heavy sound here than on other albums, but the groove's still strong, and is reaching a bit towards an 80s club sound. Titles include "Shine", "Roots", "Funky Lady", "Just A Touch Of Love", and "Warning". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from Slave! "Slide" is a monster – tight electric funk, nicely compressed so that it's not too silly, which is why Tribe Called Quest snagged it early for a key sample! "Son Of Slide" is every bit as great – and in fact, the single's probably got the two best tracks by the band on one piece of wax! 7-inch, Vinyl record

"Watching You" is a tight little pop tune from Slave – perhaps less of a full funk workout than some of their other tracks, but with some sweetly compressed vocals that give the number a nice nice hook! Even nicer is "Dreamin" – a bit more subdued, with a sly soulful approach! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

We couldn't think of a better way to describe the sound of Slave than "stone jam"! The band's got a bass-heavy groove, mixed with a lot of soul, in a style that was often copied by many groups in the 80s, but never equalled. The real strength in the band was their songwriting – always fresh, and never too overindulgent in the funky elements. The vocals are tight and soulful, and the restriction of the funky bits makes for some nicely compressed grooves. Steve Arrington's on lead vocals – and tracks include "Watching You", "Never Get Away", "Stone Jam", "Feel My Love", and "Let's Spend Some Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Niney. Includes "Ethiopian National Anthem", "Slave Call", "Guilty Conscience", "Hurry On", "Train To Skaville" and "Obeah Book". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary record from Show & AG – and one of the strongest full lengths of the early 90s from the DITC camp! Runaway Slave came about during the end of an era when major labels still seemed to be hungry for for dope underground MCs, so there's a gritty realness here, and on other great hip hop LPs of the early 90s that's still pretty incredible. This full length debut delivers very strongly on the Soul Clap EP – and titles include that classic track "Bounce Ta This", "Represent", "Catchin Wreck", "Fat Pockets", "40 Acres And My Props", "Hold Ya Head", "He Say, She Say", "Hard To Kill" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Roy Brooks albums of all time – an a set that rivals the spiritual genius of his classics released on the Imo-Hotep label! The tracks here are long, live, and feature stunning performances from George Coleman on tenor, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Hugh Lawson on piano, and Cecil McBee on bass – a group who are really on fire throughout, as they take on tunes that include "Understanding", "The Free Slave", "Five For Max", and "Will Pan's Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty nice later work from Grace! Although we prefer the percolating disco meets reggae records Grace Jones cut with Sly & Robbie to this later effort – but there's no denying that on a couple of numbers she really clicks with producer Trevor Horn's slick sheen. With "Ladies & Gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones", "Jones The Rhythm", "The Fashion Show", "The Frog & The Princess" and "Slave To The Rhythm". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique albums on the Strata East label – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given the creative energies flowing through that legendary jazz outlet! Descendants Of Mike & Phoebe is a righteous little project put together by Spike Lee's father, Bill Lee, and his brothers and sisters (Cliff Lee, Grace Lee Mims, and Consuela Lee Moorhead) – working here in a group named after their slave ancestors, who are paid tribute in a beautifully flowing batch of tunes! Lee's round, warm bass tones are firmly at the head of the group on most numbers – recorded at a similar level to his excellent work with Clifford Jordan on Strata East during the same time – and other instrumentation includes piano from Consuela, flugelhorn from Cliff, and percussion from Sonny Brown and Billy Higgins – all used in a wonderfully evocative style that's even better than some of Lee's later soundtrack work. A few numbers feature vocals from Grace – singing wordlessly and with a really heavenly sort of quality – and together, the whole group have a undeniable sense of power and majesty, yet also one that's touched by a really personal sense of poetry too. Titles include a great version of Lee's "Coltrane", which was more famously recorded with Clifford Jordan – plus "Chick Chick", "Attica", "Too Little, Too Late", "Boll Weevil", "Don't Be A Stranger", and "Well Done, Weldon". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set from the digital generation, but one that shows that the best spirit of the roots reggae years were alive and well in the music of a singer like Horace Ferguson! Horace has this gently grooving style that's mighty nice – up in the higher range of the spectrum, which almost seems to bring a more human, youthful quality to his presentation of the message-oriented lyrics – all backed with production from Prince Jazzbo, who keeps things nice and lean in a mix of rhythms, basslines, and keyboards! Titles include "Tranquilizer", "Tickle Me", "Hunts Bay", "Slave", "Gazuma", "Great Stone", and "Sensi Addict". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early material from Gregory Isaacs – captured here early in his career, and working in a deep roots reggae mode – recording at Channel One with great direction from Ossie Hibbert! The set's laidback and righteous, in ways that let all the soulful qualities of Isaac's vocals still come through – but in a very different way than on his later hits! The rhythms are provided by the Revolutionaries – a perfect choice for the record – and titles include "Slave Master", "Story Book Children", "Get Ready", "Set The Captives Free", "Hand Cuff", "Storm", "Sacrifice", and "Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible lost slice of music from the young Bob Marley – an unissued set of recordings done at the Capitol Studios in LA, at a time when the Wailers were just beginning to rise in global power! The session came at an unusual moment for the group – they had come to the US to tour with Sly & The Family Stone, and were fired because the audiences were not yet ready for their groove – leaving the group a bit astray in California. But an opportunity arose to record at Capitol, a performance that was also filmed – and the result is this amazing set of tracks that captures Bob and the group at a level that's even different than their massive Island Records sets to come. There's a current of funk running through a number of these tracks, and a lean groove that's wonderfully soul-drenched throughout – not just in Marley's vocals, but in the overall performance of the rest – a tight sextet that includes Peter Tosh, Joe Higgs, Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett, and Earl Lindo. Titles include "Rastaman Chant", "Midnight Ravers", "Put It On", "Stop That Train", "Get Up Stand Up", "You Can't Blame The Youth", "Slave Driver", "Duppy Conqueror", and "Burnin & Lootin". LP, Vinyl record album

The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios – Randy's, Dynamic, and Harry J's – and retains the same vibe as some of Marley's earlier work, but with more of the forward-thinking vision he brought to his time at Island. Bunny Livingston lays down some excellent percussion on the set – and rhythm is from the team of Aston and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums. Titles include the classic "Stir It Up" – plus "Slave Driver", "Kinky Reggae", "High Tide Or Low Tide", and "Concrete Jungle". Very cool 3LP/12" edition – comes in a box, with new notes and rare photos! LP2 features a rare live set recorded in London at the Paris Theater in 1973. LP3 features more unreleased tracks – eight from the sessions, including Jamaican alternative and extended versions of "Slave Driver", "Stop That Train", "No More Trouble", "Stir It Up", "400 Years", and "High Tide Or Low Tide" – and the bonus 12" single features three more unreleased live tracks from 1973! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set from saxophonist Jowee Omicil – dedicated to a slave uprising in 18th Century Haiti, but served up with a righteous vibe that's very progressive and 70s overall! The music is spiritual, but also very loose and avant – as Omicil switches between woodwinds and trumpet, and works with lean backing from Fender Rhodes, bass, and drums! The vibe is almost like that of vintage AACM projects – with a spontaneously creative approach that's very organic, and very personal – and Omicil has a great way of picking just the right instrument at just the right moment to shift the mood and really illuminate the music. Titles include "Call To Warzone", "AmBusKad", "KaLaLou Free", "Trace", "Bashquiat Intro", and "Spirit Yo Bak". LP, Vinyl record album

It's been 8 years since Sade's last album, but rest assured, she's still pretty much the same! Her vocals are as lovely as ever – with that indescribable floating quality that always sends us, no matter how many times we've heard her songs on the radio. The production is slightly different than before – with a spare, stripped-down, slightly dubby style that's hinted at by the Lover's Rock title. Nice and mellow – but that's the way we like her! Titles include "Flow", "King Of Sorrow", "By Your Side", "The Sweetest Gift", "Every Word", "All About Our Love", and "Slave Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great session from Sonny Stitt – and one with a slightly different vibe than usual! That vibe comes from the work of two Latin percussionists – Marcelino Valdez on congas and Osvaldo Martinez on bongos – both of whom really a a lot to the groove next to the drums of Herbie Lovelle – a rich bottom end that's maybe more Afro-styled than conventional Latin jazz! The mighty Ronnie Mathews is on piano, Herbie Lovell plays bass, and Stitt blows tenor throughout – on great titles that include "Blue Blood Ritual", "Slave Maidens", "Island Shout", and "Barefoot Ball". LP, Vinyl record album

Spiritual sounds from the source – a host of incredible tracks from a time when jazz was really opening up into new dimensions – as players stepped forward in a wave of strong post-Coltrane energy to really push the music into the skies! The music here can be seen as a blueprint for generations to come – styles that are now getting new fame in the hands of Kamasi Washington and some of his contemporaries, but which flowered first in recordings like these – pulled from the early 70s vaults of Prestige, Milestone, and Muse Records – and brought together here in a really wonderful collection! Tracks are all nice and long, and the set showcases an older generation of jazz musicians really flowering at the time – balanced perfectly between a sense of freedom and a spiritual soul – on titles that include "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, "Let Us Go To Higher Heights" by Carlos Garnett, "The Almoravid" by Joe Chambers, "Brown Eyes" by Charles Earland, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Aftermath" by Oliver Nelson, "Josie Black" by Hampton Hawes, "Let It Take Your Mind" by Bayete Umbra Zindiko, "Fire" by Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane, and "The Free Slave" by Roy Brooks. LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Arrington's got a long long legacy in soul music – one that goes back to his late 70s work on Slave – but he also sounds completely contemporary here, working in collaboration with a whole host of producers who were no doubt influenced by his creations of the past, and help Arrington find a whole new vibe in his music! Tunes are often spare, and served up in a blend of vocals, beats, keyboards, and guitar – yet all elements are given some cool, crispy twists and turns through a host of hip hop elements and other contemporary modes – but all at a level that only seems to bring new live to Arrington's music, and not overwhelm it. The set features work from Mndsgn, Gifted & Blessed, J Rocc, Knxwledge, Devin Morrison, and others – and titles include "Love Knows", "Keep Dreamin", "Soulful I Need That In My Life", "Make A Difference", "Joys Of Love", "It's Alright", "Make Ya Say Yie", "You're Not Ready", "Good Mood", and "Work On It". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from drummer Roy Brooks – very spiritual work that's quite a change from his straighter soul jazz of the 60s! The album's right up there with Roy's better-known (though still rare) live performance at Town Hall – or his classic Free Slave session – and like those records, this one explodes with a raw power that's really amazing – heavy drums from Brooks, driving a collective of righteous musicians that really stretch out in the free space of the recording! The clineup shifts a bit from track to track, but there's a cohesive spirit to the record that comes from Brooks' bold spirit – a joyous, soulful, post-Coltrane sort of energy – let loose in the lead, to guide the talents of players who include John Stubblefield on tenor, Sonny Fortune on alto, Olu Dara and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Joe Bonner on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Eddie Jefferson makes an appearance on two tracks – singing much hipper than on any of his better-known recordings of the period – and titles include "The Last Prophet", "M'Jumbe", "Eboness", "The Smart Set", and "Eboness (Kwanza)". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the rarest of all albums by the Last Poets – so rare that it often doesn't show up in lists of their work, and that it's never reissued with the frequency of their other early titles. Jalal is firmly in place by this point, and his hip rhyming poetry has brought a new level of musicality to the group that shows up best in the album's jazzier numbers and nice traces of funk. The politics are still as strong as ever – they're just tempered with a bit more concern for phrasing, and a tighter approach to overall delivery. Titles include "Uncle Sam's Lament", "In Search Of Knowledge", "The Courtroom", "African Slave", "Death Row", and "Tranquility". LP, Vinyl record album

Live material from Bob Marley & The Wailers – recorded in an obscure nightclub in our hometown of Chicago during the 70s, and quite a nice change from some of the bigger label releases of the time! The band has a loose, very spontaneous vibe – and there's a nice flow to the longer length of the tracks – served up with instrumentation from Earl Lindon on keyboards and organ, Al Anderson on guitar, Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, and Carlton Barrett on drums – with backing vocals from the I-Threes behind Bob's lead vocals! Titles include "Rebel Music", "Talkin Blues", "Concrete Jungle", "Natty Dread", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Slave Driver", and "Midnight Ravers". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible bit of electric funk from the hinterlands of Ohio – an obscure album that hardly saw the light of day back in the 70s, making its first national debut in this excellent reissue! The sound of the set is incredible – moody Fender Rhodes, Arp, moog, and organ over bass and percussion that ranges from spare and skittish, to funky and full-on! A few tracks feature a bit of vocals, but the album's mostly concerned with the interplay between the keys and the percussion – tripping out in wonderfully open-ended tracks, the best of which offer almost a keyboard alternative to the spacey sound of Shuggie Otis in the mid 70s! Titles include "One Slave One Gun", "Quiet Isle", "Untitled", "Ja Ja", "Summer Time", "Punk Fun", and "Hypertension". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of Black Moon – one of those records that was slept on by the mainstream at the time, but which has gone on to be an undeniable part of hip hop history as the years moved on! The group are part of that great second wave of young east coast talent who really set this edge, and managed to rival some of the attitude of the west, but without falling into cliches and overplayed gimmicks. Part of the record's strength is its excellent Beatminerz production – very standard-setting work – and the set also features guest appearances from scenemates Smif N Wessun and Havoc – on cuts that include the singles "Who Got Da Props" and "I Got Cha Opin" – plus "Powaful Impak", "Ack Like U Want It", "Sh** Iz Real", "Slave", "Make Munne", "How Many MCs", "U Da Man", "Enta Da Stage", "Buck Em Down", and "Make Munne". LP, Vinyl record album

Nathan Davis' triumphant return to the American recording scene, and a very swingin, very soulful set recorded with a septet that includes Nelson Harrison, Roger Humphries, and Joe Kennedy. The vibe is righteous and free, but with a good groove all the way through. Similar to some of the stuff on Strata East or Black Jazz, but marked by the great writing and excellent reed solos of Mr. Davis, who (we feel) is one of the true geniuses of the saxophone of the 20th century. Nearly every track is great, and the titles include "Extra Sensory Perfection", "I Want To Be Free", and "Slave March". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful soundtrack to one of the most important films to Latin music in the 70s! This double-length set features a huge array of work from the movie – not only important musical bits, both live and in the studio, but also snippets from TV, concert introductions, and lots lots more that show the range and cultural impact of the early 70s New York scene – stretching way past a simple understanding that you might have from other records! Players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Pacheco, and Bobby Valentin – and tracks include "Drum Story", "The Sugar Cane", "Hollywood", "Barrio", "Mi Gente", "Congo Bongo", "Slave Ship", "African Village", and "Soul Makossa". Also features guest appearances by Geraldo Rivera, Dezi Arnaz, Ismael Quintana, Carmen Miranda, and Al Jolson! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare funky work from Bob Marley & The Wailers – tracks that are more of a studio jam than a typical recording – and which were done before a famous performance that the group played at the Matrix club in San Francisco! There's a lean, snakey groove to all these cuts – heavy on basslines from Family Man Barrett, whose work really sets the tone for the tunes – while Bob and Peter Tosh trade guitar lines, Carlton Barrett holds things down on drums, and Earl Lindo spices things up with some sweet organ work! Titles include "Kinky Reggae", "Stir It Up", "No More Trouble", "Rastaman Chant", "Slave Driver", "Put It Up", "Stop That Train", and "Duppy Conquer". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that some thought might mark the final years of The Rolling Stones – as it came out as Mick Jagger was reaching 40 – but one that instead marked a great rebirth of the group and its sound, and set a whole new standard for the group for years to come! The opening lick of the first track, "Start Me Up", has become one of The Stones trademark sonic fingerprints – and the whole thing keeps on moving strong, through titles that include "Hang Fire", "Slave", "Black Limousine", "Worried About You", "Waiting On A Friend", "No Use In Crying", "Tops", and "Little T & A". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite album ever from Roland Kirk – and a beautiful mix of two different sides of his genius! Side one's got Roland doing these crazy takes on late 60's pop cuts like "My Cherie Amour" and "Say a Little Prayer", plus his own "songs", done with soulful vocals and a straight-on approach that shows him trying to break out of the avant jazz underground, and reach a wider audience with a spiritual message on tracks like "Search For The Reason Why" and "Spirits Up Above". If this description sounds like a mess, it's not – because this side of the album is one of Kirk's most brilliant statements ever about jazz, soul, love and freedom! Side two has Roland in a straighter vein – running through a tight live set from Newport 1968, handled with fire and imagination, the kind of boundless energy he always brought to his public appearances. Tracks on that set include "One Ton", "Three For The Festival", "Afro Blue", and some great remarks by Roland! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record from the more electronic years of the sound library scene – yet one that's also got a nicely sensitive side too, in a way that really lives up to its title! Both artists get plenty of space to serve up their songs – mostly shorter numbers in variations for most tracks – heavy on keyboards, but with flute, cello, and acoustic guitar as well – so that there's almost a pastoral approach to the album – very different than other Colorsound library releases of the time, and most mid 80s sound library work in general. Titles include "Emotional Tension", "Moonset", "Sentimental View", "Personal Mood", "Soft Thoughts", "In The Garden", "Pastoral Walk", and "Sundown". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual little soundtrack to this obscure pre-Roots film about slavery – handled with some very nice touches from Gary McFarland, Bobby Scott, and Grady Tate! The music is penned by Scott, and is mostly in that hip blend of jazz and soul roots that he was using on some of his own 60s vocal work – but expanded a bit more here with the groovier styles of Skye Records, thanks to arrangements and conducting from Gary McFarland! The work's not as funky as you might expect, but is still plenty darn great – and there's a few instrumental numbers that are especially great here. Grady Tate sings on the vocal ones, often in the deep-voiced style of his own Skye albums – but with an approach that's a bit more down home and soul-based, which is a nice change – almost like Oscar Brown Jr at the best moments. A number of tracks are done in both instrumental and vocal versions – and titles include "Nightwind", "Slaves", "Black Lullabye", "Another Mornin", and "Pickin Cotton". LP, Vinyl record album

A South African jazz set from the end of the 60s, but one with a different vibe than some of the rest – as the group have a lean style that still also seems to mix a fair bit of Township elements in with the jazz – which makes for tracks that have a wonderfully playful mix of modes, and a great sense of energy throughout! The group features Clifford Moses on lead guitar and a bit of vocals – the latter of which have a lightly raspy charm that's really unique – as he steps out next to core work from Richard Schilder on piano, Basil Moses on bass, and Billy Bowers on drums. The set also features some excellent guest work from the legendary Basil Coetzee on flute and alto – on titles that include "Seven Steps Lament", "Katrina", "Interim", "Up From Slavery", "Wells Square", and "Don't Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully spiritual sounds from the great Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a rare, unissued live recording done for French radio at the start of the 70s – superbly recorded, and every bit as great as Kirk's Atlantic Records classics from the time! The tunes are long, and the setting is lean – with a style that echoes the brilliance of his Volunteered Slavery album, but with more of an edge – less of the humor that Rahsaan could bring to the stage, and lot more bite – both on his reeds, and the work of group members Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, Vernon Martin on bass, Jerome Cooper on drums, and Joe Texidor on percussion. Kirk blows alto, tenor, soprano, flute, stritch, manzello, and clarinet – and titles include "Three For The Festival", "Sweet Fire", "Inflated Tear", "Volunteered Slavery", and "My Cherie Amour". LP, Vinyl record album

2 LP set of tracks from Roland's best moments over the Atlantic years. Included within are many hard to find cuts from albums that we almost never see any more. Titles include "Volunteered Slavery", "Black & Crazy Blues", "Rahsaanica", "Ninth Ghost", "Portrait Of Those Beautiful Ladies", and "The Inflated Tear". Lots more, and a good set of notes too! LP, Vinyl record album

A searing album of Tuareg guitar from Mdou Moctar – coming across here with even more power and intensity than ever before! For years, African guitar styles have been gaining plenty of attention in the larger world of rock – and here, the sound is almost as of Mdou Moctar is trying to bridge that gap – turning in tracks that almost defy the boundaries of nation and language, with an appeal to just about anyone with an ear for amazing guitar work, psychedelic elements, and music that really knocks it out of the park! The drums of Souleymane Ibrahim push the whole thing tremendously – with a driving power different from other Tuareg albums – and Moctar's guitar can only respond with really frenzied solo work throughout. Titles include "Takoba", "Sousome Tamacheq", "Modern Slaves", "Oh France", "Funeral For Justice", and "Djallo #1". LP, Vinyl record album

Moor Mother continues to blend genres and come up with one that's all her own – a unique space between soul and poetry, music and message, all with a vibe that's unlike anything else we can think of! This set may be Moor Mother's heaviest to date – an unflinching examination of colonization, slavery, and their legacy on the human condition – served up in darkly textured soundscapes, layered voices, and instrumentation that goes beyond recognition – with key guest work from Lonnie Holley, Kyle Kidd, and Alya Al-Sultani. Titles include "All The Money", "Guilty", "Liverpool Wins", "Spem In Alium", "South Sea", "Compensated Emancipation", and "Death By Longitude". LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued album by the great Hermeto Pascoal – recorded in the space between his 70s classics Slaves Mass and A Musica Livre – and every bit as amazing as those classics! The music here is fluid, open, and a fantastic mix of jazz and all of Hermeto's new ideas about musical structure – performed at a level that's highly organic, and with that completely individual vision that Pasocal brought to his sound from the start! This isn't typical Brazilian fusion of the time, but nor is it anything like the tighter sounds that Airto and Flora Purim were recording up in the US – instead, a musical mode that's completely in its own space, and which needs only one listen to convince you of the master's genius. The group here is overflowing with young talent – Lelo Nazario on keyboards, Nivaldo Ornelas and Mauro Senise on saxes and flute, Toninho Horta on guitar, Zeca Assumpcao on bass, and Ze Eduardo Nazario on drums – all important musical visionaries on their own, working together here to hit an even new level of creativity. Aleuda Chaves sings wordlessly on a bit of the record – and the whole thing has that blend of soaring sound and lyricism that marks Pascoal at his best. Titles include "Danca Do Paje", "Natal", "Casinha Pequinina", and "Mavumvavumpefoco". LP, Vinyl record album

Glen Brown's often the producer here – helming the decks on a host of classic cuts from the early 70s – but he also emerges as the main character too, at times when he steps to the mic and adds in a bit of encouragement to the proceedings! Brown's not really working in deejay mode – he's more in the background on most cuts, but then gets to shine as the lead artist on some of the later tracks in the package – especially the numbers that feature Glen on melodica, blowing the sweet keyboard with a spacious style that's a bit like Augustus Pablo! Titles include "Get Up" by Ron Wilson, "Scatter Light Rock" by Ron Wilson & Lennox Brown, "Dirty Harry" by Tommy McCook & Richard Hall, "Determination Skank" by Tommy McCook & Glen Brown, "Mr Ball Head Aitken" by Bobby Aitken, and the Glen Brown cuts "No More Slavery", "Crisp As A Ball", "Pantomine Rock", "The Winner", "Mitchville Rock", and "School Call". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing fancy, but a tight set of soul jazz trio tracks from Les – recorded with Ron Jefferson on drums, and either Leroy Vinnegar or Herbie Lewis on bass. The tracks were all recorded live, and stretch out longer than most of Les' studio work from the time. Titles include "Frankie & Johnnie", "Love Letters", "Three Slaves", and "On Green Dolphin Street". LP, Vinyl record album

The first LP from a group that would go on to become one of the most well known Jamaican artists, largely due to their crisply produced crossover sound that appealed to fans of modern soul. The sound here's a shade rootsier than the album's that would garner them wider appeal, with 8 numbers in all, including "Sette Messgana", "Slavery Days", "Brand New Beggar", "Got To Get Along", "Sun Won't Shine" and "Freedom Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Greasy Mike's been making the global rounds on records like this – serving up an imagined landscape of weird and wonderful sounds, all pulled from rare singles of late 50s/early 60s vintage! We're not sure Mike's efforts will ever win him a harem, but he's done a great job here – coming up with tunes that often have some slight exotic or Eastern sort of vibe, mixed with more familiar American sounds of the time – like electric guitar or Latin percussion! Titles include "Ole Tsasa" by Valisas & His Slaves, "Desert Wind" by The Vaqueros, "Cairo Twist" by The Royce McAfee Combo, "Cobra" by The Boys, "Sahara" by The Cotillions, "Port Said" by The Kasuals, "Moroc-Kin" by Arabian Knights, "Snake Charmer" by Torrents, "The Bagdad Fantasy" by Ilo Kay & His Trio, and "Istanbul" by Jol Coyes Boys. LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling set of material Dionne recorded for Scepter before departing the label – a good number of which were made with Memphis producer Chips Moman during the sessions for the excellent Soulful album – and some diverse, equally great material that spans her years at the label! It includes a host of great Bacharach/David productions – with some nice medleys of hits and wide range of covers, including some classic Sly Stone and Curtis Mayfield on the edgier end, plus nice takes on the Beatles and others. It's got some great gospel-leaning numbers, too! A far-reaching set with more than 30 tracks – including "Grace", "People Get Ready", "Summertime", "Give A Damn", "Slaves"., "People Got TO Be Free""The Love Of My Man", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", a cool cover of The Band's "The Weight", "Someday We'll Be Together", "Games People Play" and "Everyday People". LP, Vinyl record album